SINGAPORE, Oct 18 — Two Sukhoi fighter jets SU-30MKMs from the Royal Malaysian Air Force and one of the major naval assets of the Royal Malaysian Navy, KD Lekiu, are taking part in a flypast and a naval vessel display in Singapore today.
The event at Marina South is being held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), and at the conclusion of Exercise Bersama Gold 2021.
The flypast and naval vessel display were conducted over the waters off Marina South and featured assets from four FPDA member-nations — Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.
The flypast was conducted in three profiles namely a delta formation led by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and a combined FPDA flypast performed by fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters from the five countries.
Trailing the combined flypast, the third profile, featured the RSAF’s F-16 and F-15SG aircraft performing an aerial salute.
Apart from KD Lekiu, the naval vessel display, meanwhile, featured Australia’s HMAS Canberra, New Zealand’s HMNZS Aotearoa and Singapore’s RSS Steadfast.
The flypast and naval vessel display were live-streamed on the Singapore Ministry of Defence’s social media platforms today at noon.
Also present was Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Singapore Datuk Dr Azfar Mohamad Mustafar.
Malaysia will be hosting the 11th FPDA Defence Ministers’ Meeting (FDMM) and the 50th FPDA Anniversary celebration on Oct 21 at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base in Subang.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he is glad that the FPDA, which was formalised in 1971, when Southeast Asia was not so stable, and the Vietnam War was still going on, is still active and relevant today.
“This cooperation fosters peace and security in the region, and Singapore continues to support it in a very different world,” he wrote on his official Facebook.
“Under the Arrangements, the five nations are to consult one another immediately in the event of armed threats or attacks on Malaysia or Singapore,” he said.
The FPDA, he said, is the second-oldest military partnership in the world (after Nato). — Bernama
